Systems and Methods for Data Center Cooling and Water Desalination

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure provides systems for data center cooling and water desalination. In some aspects, the systems include a data center having a water cooling subsystem configured to receive cool water and output warm water and a desalination plant co-located with the data center and configured to receive and desalinate the warm water. Aspects of the invention also include methods for cooling a data center using a water cooling subsystem and desalinating water with a desalination plant that is co-located with the data center.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119 (e), this application claims priority to thefiling date of the U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.61/758,029 filed Jan. 29, 2013 and to the filing date of U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/656,801, filed Jun. 7, 2012;the disclosure of which applications are herein incorporated byreference.

INTRODUCTION

In recent years, internet traffic in the United States has risensignificantly. It is estimated that in the United States, internettraffic increased from 40,000-70,000 terabytes/month in 2001 to3,400,000-4,100,000 terabytes/month in 2011. To support the steep growthin internet traffic, a large amount of computer-related infrastructurehas been developed and implemented. One type of infrastructure that hasbeen increasingly utilized is data centers.

Data centers are facilities that house computer systems and associatedcomponents for operation therein. Data centers may include computers,data storage devices, servers, telecommunications systems or otherrelated equipment and may be used to manage, store, process and/orexchange digital information and data. The operation of electricalcomponents within data centers for these functions produces a largeamount of heat. As such, many data centers have intricate coolingsystems designed to cool electrical components so that the componentscan function effectively.

Operation of electrical components and cooling systems within datacenters often requires a large amount of energy. Data center power usecan range from several kW to several tens of MW. Data centers may use,for example, as much electricity as a small town to operate. The powerdensity of a data center may also be more than one-hundred times that ofa typical office building.

Due to the high power usage of data centers, data centers are also oftenresponsible for high carbon emissions. For example, it is estimated thatin 2007 data centers were responsible for 1.5% of the total electricityconsumption in the United States. Likewise, data centers were estimatedto be responsible for 0.5% of greenhouse gas emissions in the UnitedStates in the same year. The amount of greenhouse gas emissions fromdata centers is also expected to rise in the future. For example, it isprojected that greenhouse gas emission from data centers will doublefrom 2007 levels by 2020.

One factor of how much greenhouse gas emission a data center isresponsible for is the energy efficiency of the data center. One commonmeasure of data center energy efficiency is power usage effectiveness,or “PUE”. As discussed further below, PUE is the ratio of the amount oftotal system (e.g., data center) power to the amount of power used bythe electronic (e.g., information technology) equipment of the system.The average data center in the United States has a PUE of 2.0.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides systems for data center cooling andwater desalination. In some aspects, the systems include a data centerhaving a water cooling subsystem configured to receive cool water andoutput warm water and a desalination plant co-located with the datacenter and configured to receive and desalinate the warm water. Aspectsof the invention also include methods for cooling a data center using awater cooling subsystem and desalinating water with a desalination plantthat is co-located with the data center.

Systems of the present disclosure, in various instances include a datacenter having a water cooling subsystem configured to receive cool waterand output warm water and a water desalination plant co-located with thedata center and configured to receive and desalinate the output warmwater. In some embodiments, the cool water is received from an ocean orsea. In some embodiments of the systems, the desalination plant is areverse osmosis desalination plant.

Systems may include a water intake. The water intake may, in someaspects, be positioned at a depth of 15 m or more in a water source. Insome instances, the water intake is positioned below the photic zone ina water source. The systems may also include a water dischargeconfigured for discharging brine from the water desalination plant. Thewater discharge is, in some embodiments, positioned at a depth of 15 mor more in a body of water (e.g., an ocean or sea). In some embodiments,the body of water in which the water discharge is positioned is the samebody of water, e.g., ocean or sea, in which the water intake of a systemis positioned.

The power usage effectiveness (PUE) of the data center of the disclosedsystems, in some aspects, is 2 or less. In some instances, the PUE ofthe data center of the disclosed systems ranges from 1 and 1.3. In someinstances, the data center and desalination plant of the disclosedsystems are configured to produce fewer carbon emissions as compared tothe same data center and water desalination plant operatingindependently. In some versions of the systems, the data center andwater desalination plant are configured to use less energy per amount ofdata-center cooling and per volume of water desalinated as compared tothe same data center and water desalination plant operatingindependently.

The disclosed systems may include a power plant co-located with a datacenter and a water desalination plant. In some instances, the powerplant is operably connected to both of the data center and the waterdesalination plant. The data center, water desalination plant and powerplant may be configured to produce fewer carbon emissions as compared tothe same data center, water desalination plant and power plant operatingindependently. In some versions of the systems, the data center, waterdesalination plant and power plant are configured to use less energy peramount of data-center cooling and per volume of water desalinated ascompared to the same data center, water desalination plant and powerplant operating independently.

Also provided by the present disclosure are methods for cooling a datacenter and desalinating salt water. In some instances, the methodsinclude (1) cooling a data center with a water cooling subsystemcomprising a cool water intake and a warm water discharge, wherein thewater cooling subsystem is configured to absorb heat produced by thedata center; and (2) desalinating warm water received from the warmwater discharge at a desalination plant that is co-located with the datacenter. In some instances, the desalination plant is a reverse osmosisdesalination plant.

In some versions of the methods, a water cooling subsystem of a datacenter is configured to obtain seawater from a cool water intake. Insome instances, a cool water intake may be positioned below the photiczone of a water source (e.g., below the photic zone of an ocean or sea).The methods may also include discharging brine from the desalinationplant into an ocean or sea, e.g., below the photic zone of an ocean orsea.

In some embodiments, the methods for cooling a data center anddesalinating salt water using a data center and water desalination plantproduce fewer carbon emissions as compared to the same data center andwater desalination plant operating independently. The methods forcooling a data center and desalinating salt water using a data centerand water desalination plant may use less energy per amount ofdata-center cooling and per volume of water desalinated as compared tothe same data center and water desalination plant operatingindependently.

The disclosed methods, in some instances, also include obtaining powerto operate a data center and desalination plant from a power plantco-located with the data center and the desalination plant. In someaspects, the methods for cooling a data center and desalinating saltwater using a data center, water desalination plant and power plant mayproduce fewer carbon emissions than the same data center, waterdesalination plant and power plant operating independently. In somevariations, the methods for cooling a data center and desalinating saltwater using a data center, water desalination plant and power plant useless energy per amount of data-center cooling or per volume of waterdesalinated than the same data center, water desalination plant andpower plant operating independently.

In some embodiments, the methods include maintaining the PUE of a datacenter at 2 or less. In some instances, the methods include maintainingthe PUE of a data center at a value between 1 and 1.3.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be best understood from the following detaileddescription when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.Included in the drawings are the following figures:

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system including a data center and waterdesalination plant co-located with the data center, according toembodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a system including a data center, waterdesalination plant co-located with the data center and power plantco-located with the data center and water desalination plant, accordingto embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure provides systems for data center cooling andwater desalination. In some aspects, the systems include a data centerhaving a water cooling subsystem configured to receive cool water andoutput warm water and a desalination plant co-located with the datacenter and configured to receive and desalinate the warm water. Aspectsof the invention also include methods for cooling a data center using awater cooling subsystem and desalinating water with a desalination plantthat is co-located with the data center.

Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it is to beunderstood that this invention is not limited to particular embodimentsdescribed, as such may, of course, vary. It is also to be understoodthat the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describingparticular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting, sincethe scope of the present invention will be limited only by the appendedclaims.

Where a range of values is provided, it is understood that eachintervening value, to the tenth of the unit of the lower limit unlessthe context clearly dictates otherwise, between the upper and lowerlimits of that range is also specifically disclosed. Each smaller rangebetween any stated value or intervening value in a stated range and anyother stated or intervening value in that stated range is encompassedwithin the invention. The upper and lower limits of these smaller rangesmay independently be included or excluded in the range, and each rangewhere either, neither or both limits are included in the smaller rangesis also encompassed within the invention, subject to any specificallyexcluded limit in the stated range. Where the stated range includes oneor both of the limits, ranges excluding either or both of those includedlimits are also included in the invention.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill inthe art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods andmaterials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used inthe practice or testing of the present invention, some potential andexemplary methods and materials may now be described. Any and allpublications mentioned herein are incorporated herein by reference todisclose and describe the methods and/or materials in connection withwhich the publications are cited. It is understood that the presentdisclosure supersedes any disclosure of an incorporated publication tothe extent there is a contradiction.

It must be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, thesingular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless thecontext clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “anintake” includes a plurality of such intakes and reference to “thematerial” includes reference to one or more materials and equivalentsthereof known to those skilled in the art, and so forth.

It is also noted that definitions provided in one section of thisapplication (e.g., the “Systems” section) may also apply to embodimentsdescribed in another section of the application (e.g., the “Methods”section) even if a term is described as applying to an embodiment of aparticular section.

It is further noted that the claims may be drafted to exclude anyelement which may be optional. As such, this statement is intended toserve as antecedent basis for use of such exclusive terminology as“solely”, “only” and the like in connection with the recitation of claimelements, or the use of a “negative” limitation.

The publications discussed herein are provided solely for theirdisclosure prior to the filing date of the present application. Nothingherein is to be construed as an admission that the present invention isnot entitled to antedate such publication by virtue of prior invention.Further, the dates of publication provided may be different from theactual publication dates which may need to be independently confirmed.To the extent such publications may set out definitions of a term thatconflict with the explicit or implicit definition of the presentdisclosure, the definition of the present disclosure controls.

As will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading thisdisclosure, each of the individual embodiments described and illustratedherein has discrete components and features which may be readilyseparated from or combined with the features of any of the other severalembodiments without departing from the scope or spirit of the presentinvention. Any recited method can be carried out in the order of eventsrecited or in any other order which is logically possible.

Systems

The present disclosure provides systems for data center cooling andwater desalination. The systems include a data center having a watercooling subsystem configured to receive and output water (e.g., cool andwarm water, respectively) and a desalination plant co-located with thedata center and configured to receive and desalinate the output water(e.g., warm water). The term “data center”, as used herein and describedin further detail below, refers to a facility configured and/or used forphysically housing (i.e., containing within it) one or more computersystems and/or associated components. In some embodiments, data centersinclude the components therein and manage, store, process and/orexchange digital information and data. As used herein and described infurther detail below, the term “desalination plant” refers to a facilityconfigured and/or used for desalinating water. In some embodiments,desalination plants house components for desalinating water. The terms“desalinate” and “desalination”, as used herein, refer to any of severalprocesses to remove an amount of salt and/or other minerals orcomponents from saline water (i.e., water that contains a concentrationof at least one dissolved salt). In some embodiments of the disclosedsystems, desalination is removing an amount of salt and/or otherminerals or components from saline water so that the water is fit forconsumption by a living organism (i.e., a living organism may consumethe water and thereby maintain a healthy hydration level and/or a livingorganism may consume the water without the water having a detrimentaleffect on the organism's health). In some embodiments of the disclosedsystems, desalination makes water potable (i.e., fit to drink;drinkable). In some embodiments the living organism is a “mammal” or“mammalian”, where these terms are used broadly to describe organismswhich are within the class mammalia, including the orders carnivore(e.g., dogs and cats), rodentia (e.g., mice, guinea pigs, and rats), andprimates (e.g., humans, chimpanzees, and monkeys). In some embodiments,the living organism is a human. The term “human” may include humansubjects of both genders and at any stage of development (e.g., fetal,neonates, infant, juvenile, adolescent, adult), where in someembodiments the human subject is a juvenile, adolescent or adult. Insome embodiments of the disclosed systems, desalination is removing anamount of salt and/or other minerals or components from saline water sothat the water is fit for a specific purpose (e.g., irrigation).

As summarized above, systems as described herein include a data centerco-located with a desalination plant. The terms “co-locate”,“co-located” and “co-locating”, as used herein refer to placing two ormore things in proximity (i.e., within a certain distance). In someaspects of the disclosed systems, co-located units may be located suchthat they share one or more common aspects (e.g., facilities orcomponents such as specific systems or machinery). In some aspects,co-located units may be located, for example, within 0.1 m; 1 m; 10 m;100 m; 1,000 m; 10,000 m; or 100,000 m of one another. In someembodiments, co-located units are two or more facilities located onimmediately adjacent or abutting areas or parcels of land. In someembodiments, co-located units are two or more facilities located on thesame area of land. In some versions of the disclosed systems, co-locatedunits may be located such that they are in fluid communication (i.e.,the units are configured such that at least one fluid may move and/orflow between the units). In some variations of the disclosed systems,co-located units are located such that they share one or more of thecomponents described herein (e.g., a water cooling subsystem). In someembodiments of the disclosed systems, co-located units may be locatedsuch that they are electrically connected (i.e., connected by at leastone conductive material) and/or share at least one electrical component.In some instances, co-located units are located such that their locationallows them to be more energy-efficient (i.e., use less energy for thesame amount of productivity) than the units would be if they werelocated in a different position (e.g., a greater distance away from eachother). In various embodiments, co-located units are located such thattheir location allows them to produce fewer carbon emissions (e.g.,carbon dioxide emissions) or have a smaller carbon footprint than theunits would if they were located in a different position (e.g., agreater distance away from each other). In some versions, co-locatedunits are located such that their location allows them to minimizepotential pollutants (e.g., thermal pollution) emitted therefrom. Insome embodiments of the disclosed systems, co-located units may belocated such that they are operably connected.

By “operably connected”, as used herein, is meant connected in aspecific way (e.g., in a manner allowing water to move and/or electricpower to be transmitted) that allows the disclosed system and itsvarious components to operate effectively in the manner describedherein. For example, a power plant operably connected to a data centermay allow electricity to flow (i.e., be transmitted along at least oneconductive material) between the power plant and the data center suchthat the energy required to operate the data center would be at leastpartially obtained from the power plant.

FIG. 1 provides a diagram of one embodiment of a disclosed system 100including a data center 101, a water desalination plant 102 co-locatedwith the data center, a water intake 103 positioned below the photiczone 104 in a water source 105, a water discharge 106 positioned belowthe photic zone 104 in a body of water which, in this version, is thesame as the water source. FIG. 1 also depicts possible directions ofwater and/or brine movement within the system 107-109, an operableconnection 110 (e.g., a connection through which water may move and/orelectric power may be transmitted) between the data center 101 anddesalination plant 102, and a coupling component (111), as well as othercomponents and aspects described further below.

In some instances, and as depicted by the diagram of FIG. 2, a subjectsystem 200 may include many of the same components and aspectsillustrated in FIG. 1, including a data center 101, a water desalinationplant 102 co-located with the data center, and may also include a powerplant 201 co-located with the data center and the water desalinationplant, operable connections 202, 203 (e.g., connections through whichwater may move and/or electric power may be transmitted) between thepower plant, data center and/or desalination plant, and other componentsand aspects described herein.

Various aspects of the embodiments of the systems shall now be describedin greater detail below.

Data Center

Embodiments of the disclosed systems include one or more data centers.As noted above, the term “data center” refers to a facility configuredand/or used for physically housing (i.e., containing within it) one ormore computer systems and/or associated components. In some embodiments,data centers include the components therein and manage, store, processand/or exchange digital information and data.

Data centers may include computers, data storage devices, servers (e.g.,web servers, database servers and/or application servers), switches,routers, vaults, load balancers, racks, wire cages or closets and/orrelated equipment. Data centers may include redundant datacommunications connections, backup or redundant power supplies, securitydevices, and/or fire suppression systems. In some instances, datacenters include data storage systems and/or telecommunications systems.Some versions of data centers are used for providing applicationservices or management for various types of data processing (e.g.,intranet, web hosting internet). In some embodiments, data centers areused, for example, to operate and manage one or more carriers'telecommunication network, provide data center applications directly toone or more carriers' customers and/or provide hosted applications forone or more third parties to provide services to customers. Embodimentsof data centers include data centers that are within one or morebuildings. In some aspects, data centers occupy one or more rooms of abuilding, one or more floors of a building or an entire building.

In some instances, data centers are electrically powered. For example,some embodiments of data centers consume electricity to operate. Powerdraw for data centers may range from a few kW (e.g., one, two, three,four or five kW) to several tens of MW (e.g., one, two, three, four,five, six, seven, eight or nine tens of MW) for larger facilities. Insome aspects of data centers, the data centers have power densities ofmore than one-hundred times that of an average office building. In someembodiments of data centers, electricity costs are the primary operatingexpense of the data center and may account for 10% or more of a datacenter's total cost of ownership.

Embodiments of data centers are operably connected to at least one powersource (e.g., one or more power plants, as described herein). Someversions of data centers include a power source (e.g., a source fromwhich electrical power may be obtained). Power sources, in someembodiments, generate or obtain power from renewable energy sources.Renewable energy sources include, for example, one or more systems ordevices configured to convert one or more forms of energy (e.g., solar,wind, wave, biofuel, biomass, tidal and/or geothermal energy) to anotherform (e.g., electric power). For example, a power source may be one ormore solar panels.

In some embodiments, data centers use an amount of energy for eachfunction performed by the data center or components thereof. Forexample, data centers or systems including data centers may use aspecific amount of energy per amount of data center cooling. In someaspects, data centers or systems including data centers have a degree ofenergy efficiency that may be quantified as the power usageeffectiveness (PUE) of the data center or system including a data center(e.g., a PUE of 1.0; 1.1; 1.2; 1.3; 1.4; 1.5; 1.6; 1.7; 1.8; 1.9; or2.0). The PUE is the ratio of the total power entering a system (e.g., adata center and optionally, a desalination plant and/or a data centerpower source, such as a power plant) to the power used by the computersystems and/or associated components (e.g., information technologyequipment) within the system (e.g., the data center). In variousaspects, a PUE is the inverse of the data center infrastructureefficiency (DCIE). In some versions, systems (e.g., data centers) have aPUE of 2.0 or less, such as 1.9 or less, e.g., 1.8, 1.7, 1.6, 1.5, 1.4,1.3, 1.2 or 1.1 or less (e.g., a PUE ranging from 1.0 to 2.0). In someembodiments, a system (e.g., a data center) has a PUE ranging from 1.0to 1.3. In some instances, a system, (e.g., a data center) has a PUE ofor about 1.0, where a PUE of or about 1.0 is a PUE near, and greaterthan, 1.0 (e.g., 1.01 or 1.02 or 1.03 or 1.04 or 1.05 or 1.06 or 1.07 or1.08 or 1.09 or 1.1 or 1.15 or 1.2 or 1.25 or 1.3 and/or within therange 1.01 to 1.30). In determining the PUE of data centers of theinvention, one may factor in a component that represents the reducedenergy used by the desalination plant in desalinating the warm wateroutput of the data center cooling subsystem. Any convenient protocol forfactoring in this component into the PUE determination may be employed.For example, the reduction in energy used by the desalination plantresulting from co-location of the desalination plant with the datacenter (and particularly by using the warm output water from the datacenter) may be added to the amount of energy input into the data centerwhich is used by the computer systems and/or associated components(e.g., information technology equipment). One particular formula thatmay be employed is:

PUE=Total Facility Power/IT Equipment Power

Where total facility power includes cooling and lighting, as well asanything that is not considered a computing device, whereas IT equipmentis computing devices A PUE of 1.0 is ideal meaning that all the power isgoing to computing devices. A PUE of less than 2.0 is desirable, such asless than 1.5, and including less than 1.1, e.g., below 1.01. Byperforming the cooling with cool sea water, then only the cost ofpumping the water adds to total facility power.

In some embodiments, data centers and/or power sources of data centersproduce carbon emissions. In some aspects, data centers (e.g., datacenters operating independently) produce an amount of carbon emissionsfor each function or portion of a function performed by the data centeror components thereof.

Data centers, in some instances, produce heat. As such, some versions ofdata centers include environmental control systems (e.g., one or moreair conditioning units) for controlling at least a portion of theenvironment with a data center. In some aspects, environmental controlsystems include the water cooling subsystems described herein. In someaspects, environmental control systems include temperature controlsystems that are configured to heat and/or cool at least a portion ofthe data centers. In some instances, environmental control systemsinclude humidity control systems that are configured to control theamount of humidity in at least a portion of the data centers. In someaspects, environmental control systems include pressure control systemsthat are configured to control the pressure level in at least a portionof the data centers. Some versions of environmental control systems areconfigured to maintain at least a portion of a data center and/orcomputer related equipment therein at a temperature between 16° C. and24° C. (e.g., 17° C.; 18° C.; 19° C.; 20° C.; 21° C.; 22° C. or 23° C.)and/or within a humidity range of 40%-55% and/or with a maximum dewpoint of 15° C.

In various instances, and as noted above, data centers include one ormore water cooling subsystems. The phrases “water cooling subsystem” and“water cooling subsystems”, as used herein, refer to an interconnectedstructure located at least partially within a data center that isconfigured to cool at least one component (e.g., a server) or portion(e.g., a room) of the data center. Where desired, the interconnectedstructure of a water cooling subsystem includes one or more components(e.g., pipes and/or containers) configured to carry water from onelocation (e.g., the location of the intake) to another location. In someembodiments, water cooling subsystems include a warm water dischargeand/or output. In some embodiments, water cooling subsystems arewater-tight except for an intake for receiving water into the subsystemsand warm water discharge and/or output for discharging water out of thesubsystems. The water cooling subsystem, in some instances, may beconfigured to receive water (e.g., cool water) from an ocean and/or seaand/or river and/or lake and/or groundwater source and/or other watersource.

The term “water”, as used herein, refers to the chemical compound havingthe chemical formula H₂O. Water may also be salt water (e.g., seawater)and as such may include one or more components (e.g., salts) dissolvedtherein. Salt water (e.g., seawater) may have a salinity of about 3.5%(35 g/L, or 599 mM) (e.g., a salinity of 3.4% to 3.6% or 3.1% to 3.8%).Water may also be in the form of a liquid and/or gas.

Water, as described in the application, may also have a variety ofdifferent temperatures. By “cool” water, as used herein, is meant waterthat has a lower temperature than “warm” water, as described herein. Insome aspects the temperature of cool water is within the range 1° C. to35° C. For example, in some instances the temperature of cool water iswithin one of the following ranges: 1° C. to 10° C.; 11° C. to 20° C.;21° C. to 30° C.; 31° C. to 35° C.; 12° C. to 19° C.; 13° C. to 18° C.;14° C. to 17° C.; 15° C. to 16° C.; 1° C. to 20° C.; 2° C. to 19° C.; 3°C. to 18° C.; 4° C. to 17° C.; 5° C. to 16° C.; 6° C. to 15° C.; 7° C.to 14° C.; 7° C. to 13° C.; 8° C. to 12° C.; or 9° C. to 11° C. In someaspects, the temperature difference between cool water and warm watermay range from 1° C. to 99° C. For example, the temperature differencebetween cool water and warm water may be 1° C.; 2° C.; 3° C.; 4° C.; 5°C.; 6° C.; 7° C.; 8° C.; 9° C.; 10° C.; 11° C.; 12° C.; 13° C.; 14° C.;15° C.; 16° C.; 17° C.; 18° C.; 19° C.; 20° C.; 21° C.; 22° C.; 23° C.;24° C.; 25° C.; 26° C.; 27° C.; 28° C.; 29° C.; 30° C.; 31° C.; 32° C.;33° C.; 34° C.; 35° C.; 36° C.; 37° C.; 38° C.; 39° C.; 40° C.; 41° C.;42° C.; 43° C.; 44° C.; 45° C.; 46° C.; 47° C.; 48° C.; 49° C.; 50° C.;51° C.; 52° C.; 53° C.; 54° C.; 55° C.; 56° C.; 57° C.; 58° C.; 59° C.;60° C.; 61° C.; 62° C.; 63° C.; 64° C.; 65° C.; 66° C.; 67° C.; 68° C.;69° C.; 70° C.; 71° C.; 72° C.; 73° C.; 74° C.; 75° C.; 76° C.; 77° C.;78° C.; 79° C.; 80° C.; 81° C.; 82° C.; 83° C.; 84° C.; 85° C.; 86° C.;87° C.; 88° C.; 89° C.; 90° C.; 91° C.; 92° C.; 93° C.; 94° C.; 95° C.;96° C.; 97° C.; 98° C.; or 99° C. The temperature difference betweencool water and warm water may also be, for example, at least 1° C.; atleast 2° C.; at least 3° C.; at least 4° C.; at least 5° C.; at least10° C.; at least 15° C.; at least 20° C.; at least 25° C.; at least 30°C.; at least 35° C.; at least 40° C.; or at least 50° C., such as 1° C.or more; 2° C. or more; 3° C. or more; 4° C. or more; 5° C. or more; 10°C. or more; 15° C. or more; 20° C. or more; 25° C. or more; 30° C. ormore; 35° C. or more; 40° C. or more; or 50° C. or more, where an upperlimit to the above ranges is, in some instances, 100° C., such as 75° C.In some aspects, cool water may have a temperature within one of theabove listed ranges when the cool water enters and/or exits a componentof the systems described herein (e.g., the water intake). In someaspects, cool water may have the same temperature as the water sourcefrom which the cool water is taken. For example, cool water may have thesame temperature as that of the portion of ocean or sea surrounding(e.g., a location at or within a distance of 1 m and/or 10 m and/or 100m and/or 1000 m) one or more elements of the system disclosed herein(e.g., a water intake and/or a water discharge). In some aspects of thedisclosed systems, the cool water is received into the systems from anocean or sea. In some instances, the temperature of cool water increasesand/or decreases as the water progresses through the disclosed systems.

By “warm” water, as used herein, is meant water that has a highertemperature than “cool” water, as described herein. In some aspects thetemperature of warm water is within the range 36° C. to 100° C. Forexample, in some instances the temperature of warm water is within oneof the following ranges: 36° C. to 40° C.; 41° C. to 50° C.; 51° C. to60° C. 61° C. to 70° C. 71° C. to 80° C. 81° C. to 90° C.; 91° C. to 99°C. 40° C. to 45° C.; 46° C. to 50° C.; 51° C. to 55° C.; 56° C. to 60°C.; 61° C. to 65° C.; 66° C. to 70° C.; 36° C. to 60° C.; 37° C. to 59°C.; 38° C. to 58° C.; 39° C. to 57° C.; 40° C. to 56° C.; 41° C. to 55°C.; 42° C. to 54° C.; 43° C. to 53° C.; 44° C. to 52° C.; 45° C. to 51°C.; 46° C. to 50° C.; or 47° C. to 49° C. As noted above, in someinstances, the temperature difference between cool water and warm watermay range from 1° C. to 99° C. For example, the temperature differencebetween cool water and warm water may be, at least 1° C.; at least 2°C.; at least 3° C.; at least 4° C.; at least 5° C.; at least 10° C.; atleast 15° C.; at least 20° C.; at least 25° C.; at least 30° C.; atleast 35° C.; at least 40° C.; or at least 50° C. In some aspects, warmwater may have a temperature within one of the above listed ranges whenthe warm water enters and/or exits a component of the systems describedherein (e.g., the water discharge). In some aspects, warm water may havea higher temperature than the water source from which the cool water istaken. For example, warm water may have a higher temperature than thatof the portion of ocean or sea surrounding (e.g., a location at orwithin a distance of 1 m and/or 10 m and/or 100 m and/or 1000 m) one ormore elements of the system disclosed herein (e.g., a water intakeand/or a water discharge). In some embodiments, the temperature of warmwater increases and/or decreases as the water progresses through thedisclosed systems.

In some aspects, the water cooling subsystem may be configured to carrycool water to at least one location in a data center (e.g., a locationwhere heat is produced by the data center) where the cool water isheated and thereby converted to warm water. Cool water may be heated andconverted to warm water within a heat exchange element of a watercooling subsystem, which is described in further detail below. The watercooling subsystem may also, in some instances, be configured to carrywarm water away from one location in a data center (e.g., the locationof a heat exchange element) to another location (e.g., a locationoutside a portion of the data center which contains one or more computersystems and/or associated components). Where desired, the water coolingsubsystem is configured to carry heat energy away from one or morecomputer systems and/or associated components that generate heat energyby allowing generated heat energy to be transferred to water (e.g. coolwater) within the water cooling subsystem (e.g., within a heat exchangeelement of the water cooling subsystem) and thereafter, transferring theheated water (e.g., warm water) away from the position within the datacenter where it was heated. By transferring water within a data centerand thereby cooling one or more computer systems and/or associatedcomponents within the data center, the water cooling subsystem optimizesthe operation of the systems and/or components by providing anenvironment in which the systems and/or components may effectivelyoperate.

In some instances, water cooling subsystems include a heat exchangeelement. In some embodiments, heat exchange elements are configured tocool one or more locations and/or components within a data center. Forexample, heat exchange elements may be configured to allow an exchangeof heat produced by a data center at a first location to a medium (e.g.,air and/or water) and thereafter transfer the heated medium to a secondlocation so that the first location of the data center and/or componentsat the first location are cooled. In some aspects, heat exchangeelements are configured such that a medium (e.g., cool water) may bechanneled into the heat exchange element (e.g., from a first portion ofthe water cooling subsystem) and/or a medium (e.g., warm water) may bechanneled out of the heat exchange element (e.g., to a second portion ofthe water cooling subsystem).

In some aspects, a heat exchange element is an air conditioning system(e.g., one or more air conditioning units). In some instances, heatexchange elements are configured to cool air around (e.g., in the sameroom of a data center as data center components) components (e.g.,electrical components) of the data center which produce heat. In someinstances, heat exchange elements are configured to allow the transferof heat from air (e.g., air heated by data center components) around(e.g., in the same room of a data center as data center components)components (e.g., electrical components) of the data center whichproduce heat to cool water. Such an exchange will result in the airbeing cooled and the water being warmed (e.g., to warm water).Accordingly, in some aspects, cool water is heated to warm water withinthe heat exchange element. In some instances, heat exchange elements areconfigured to remove air that has been heated by components of a datacenter from the area of the data center (e.g., room) in which thecomponents are located.

In some embodiments, heat exchange elements are one or more channels(e.g., channels having a large interior and/or exterior surface area)physically integrated with components of a data center (e.g., electroniccomponents which produce heat). Where desired, heat exchange elementsare configured such that water may flow through them and therebytransfer heat away from the data center components. In some versions,the heat exchange element is operably connected to the remainder of thewater cooling subsystem at one or more locations (e.g., one, two, three,four or five locations). In some aspects, the heat exchange element iscomposed of the same materials as the remainder of the water coolingsubsystem or different materials. Examples of heat exchange elementsthat may be utilized either wholly or partially in connection with thedisclosed systems are provided by U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,374,627; 8,0094,30;7,525,207; 7,347,058; 8,004,832; 7,810,341; 7,808,780; 6,574,104;6,859,366; 8,157,626; 7,881,057; 6,980,433; 6,945,058; 6,854,284;6,834,512; 6,775,997; 6,772,604; 8,113,010; 8,276,397; and 8453,471 aswell as those described in U.S. Published Patent Application Nos.20120138259; 20110225997; 20110059687; 20100107658; and 20100146996; thedisclosures of each which are incorporated by reference herein.

As noted above, in some embodiments, water cooling subsystems include awarm water discharge and/or warm water output. In various instances,warm water discharges are operably connected (e.g., attached in awater-tight manner) to desalination plants and/or power plants. In someversions, warm water discharges are part of the same structure as thecoupling components described herein. Where desired, warm waterdischarges expel warm water out of a water cooling subsystem and/or intoa water source or body of water. In some embodiments, warm waterdischarges include one or more openings through which warm water maymove (e.g., flow). In some embodiments, a warm water discharge is a pipeand may be made of the same and/or different materials and/or types ofmaterials as the water intakes described herein. In some versions, awarm water discharge is positioned inside or outside a portion of thedata center which contains one or more computer systems and/orassociated components. The water cooling subsystem, in some embodiments,includes a water intake. In some aspects, the water intake includes oneor more openings (e.g., holes, gaps and/or slits) in the water coolingsystem configured to receive water (e.g., cool water) into the watercooling subsystem. For example, the water intake may be one or morepipes having one or more (i.e., one, two, three, four, five, six, seven,eight, nine, or ten or more) openings (e.g., an open end) positionedwithin a body of water such that water may flow into the one or morepipes. In some embodiments, a water intake or an opening therein isshaped as a circle, rectangle, square, slit, polygon, quadrilateral,oval, semi-circle, or other shape. In some instances, a water intake oran opening therein may have a single defined radius of symmetry. In someversions, a water intake or an opening therein may radii of curvaturelying within a single plane (e.g., a vertical plane or a horizontalplane).

In some embodiments, water intakes (e.g., one or more openings in waterintakes) are configured to intake or otherwise have an amount of water(e.g., seawater) move through them in a set time period (e.g., a minuteor hour or day). For example, water intakes may be configured to intakeup to: 5,000 L/day; 10,000 L/day; 15,000 L/day; 20,000 L/day; 25,000L/day; 30,000 L/day; 35,000 L/day; 40,000 L/day; 45,000 L/day; 50,000L/day; 55,000 L/day; 60,000 L/day; 65,000 L/day; 70,000 L/day; 75,000L/day; 80,000 L/day; 85,000 L/day; 90,000 L/day; 95,000 L/day; 100,000L/day; 150,000 L/day; 200,000 L/day; 250,000 L/day; 300,000 L/day;350,000 L/day; 400,000 L/day; 450,000 L/day; 500,000 L/day; 550,000L/day; 600,000 L/day; 650,000 L/day; 700,000 L/day; 750,000 L/day;800,000 L/day; 850,000 L/day; 900,000 L/day; 950,000 L/day; 1 millionL/day; 5 million L/day; 10 million L/day; 20 million L/day; 30 millionL/day; 40 million L/day; 50 million L/day; 60 million L/day; 70 millionL/day; 80 million L/day; 90 million L/day; 100 million L/day; 110million L/day; 120 million L/day; 130 million L/day; 140 million L/day;150 million L/day; 160 million L/day; 170 million L/day; 180 millionL/day; 190 million L/day; 200 million L/day; 220 million L/day; 240million L/day; 260 million L/day; 280 million L/day; 300 million L/day;400 million L/day; 500 million L/day; or 1 billion L/day. Water intakesmay also be configured to intake more than 1 billion L/day. Waterintakes, in some embodiments, may be configured to intake an amount ofwater in any of the ranges: 5,000 L/day to 1 billion L/day; 5,000 L/dayto 1 million L/day; 5,000 L/day to 100 million L/day; 5,000 L/day to20,000 L/day; 20,000 L/day to 40,000 L/day; 40,000 L/day to 60,000L/day; 60,000 L/day to 80,000 L/day; 80,000 L/day to 100,000 L/day;100,000 L/day to 120,000 L/day; 120,000 L/day to 140,000 L/day; 140,000L/day to 160,000 L/day; 160,000 L/day to 180,000 L/day; 180,000 L/day to200,000 L/day; 200,000 L/day to 250,000 L/day; 250,000 L/day to 300,000L/day; 3000,000 L/day to 350,000 L/day; 100,000 L/day to 200,000 L/day;200,000 L/day to 300,000 L/day; 300,000 L/day to 400,000 L/day; 400,000L/day to 500,000 L/day; 500,000 L/day to 600,000 L/day; 600,000 L/day to700,000 L/day; 700,000 L/day to 800,000 L/day; 800,000 L/day to 900,000L/day; 900,000 L/day to 1 million L/day; 1 million L/day to 20 millionL/day; 20 million L/day to 40 million L/day; 40 million L/day to 60million L/day; 60 million L/day to 80 million L/day; or 80 million L/dayto 100 million L/day. In some aspects, intakes are configured such thatthe amount of water moving (e.g., flowing) through an intake may bevariable within a time period (e.g., one minute, one hour, one day, onemonth, one year).

In some aspects, the water intake or a portion thereof is positionedoutside the portion of the data center containing the one or morecomputer systems and/or associated components. For example, in somevariations, the water intake is positioned outside the building housingthe one or more computer systems and/or associated components. Wheredesired, the intake is in fluid communication with at least one portionof the water cooling subsystem located inside the portion of the datacenter containing the one or more computer systems and/or associatedcomponents wherein cool water is heated (e.g., heated to warm water).

Embodiments of the water cooling subsystems include a water intakepositioned at a depth of 15 m or more in a water source. Some variationsof the water cooling subsystems include a water intake and/or at leastone opening therein (e.g., an opening at the end of the intake furthestfrom the portion of the data center housing computer systems and relatedcomponents) positioned at a depth of 1 m or more; 2 m or more; 3 m ormore; 4 m or more; 5 m or more; 6 m or more; 7 m or more; 8 m or more; 9m or more; 10 m or more; 11 m or more; 12 m or more; 13 m or more; 14 mor more; 16 m or more; 17 m or more; 18 m or more; 19 m or more; 20 m ormore; 25 m or more; 30 m or more; 35 m or more; 40 m or more; 45 m ormore; 50 m or more; 60 m or more; 70 m or more; 80 m or more; 90 m ormore; 100 m or more; 200 m or more; and/or 300 m or more in a watersource, where an upper limit in some instances may be 5000 m or less,such as 2500 m or less, e.g., 1000 m or less. In some aspects, watercooling subsystems include a water intake and/or at least one openingtherein positioned below and/or within a particular zone (e.g., euphoticand/or disphotic, and/or aphotic zone and/or benthic zone) in a watersource. Water cooling subsystems, in some versions, include a waterintake and/or at least one opening therein positioned below the photiczone in a water source.

In some aspects wherein a water intake is positioned at a particulardepth within a water source (e.g., a depth of 15 m or more), its center(e.g., the center-most point of a water intake) and/or the top edge(e.g., the edge or portion closest to the surface of the water) of thewater intake and/or the bottom edge (e.g., the edge or portion furthestfrom the surface of the water) of the water intake is positioned at thatparticular depth below the surface of the water. In some instances, awater intake positioned at a particular depth within a water source mayhave an opening wherein the center of the opening (e.g., the center-mostpoint of a circular and/or square opening) and/or the top edge (e.g.,the edge or portion closest to the surface of the water) of the openingand/or the bottom edge (e.g., the edge or portion furthest from thesurface of the water) of the opening is positioned at that particulardepth below the surface of the water.

Embodiments of water cooling subsystems, and in some versions waterintakes, include one or more filters configured for purifying water. Insome instances, at least one filter is located at one or more openingsin the intake and/or at the end of the intake furthest from the portionof the data center housing the computer systems and/or relatedequipment. Where desired, a filter is positioned within the portion ofthe data center housing the computer systems and/or related equipment.

Water cooling subsystems and/or water intakes thereof may, in variousembodiments, be composed of one or more materials or one or more typesof materials. Examples of materials that the water cooling subsystems ofthe disclosed systems may be composed of include polymers, ceramics,metals, glasses and/or a combination thereof. In some instances, thewater cooling subsystems are not composed of metal or material that issubject to corrosion (e.g., corrosion by rust). In some embodiments,water cooling subsystems are composed of plumbing materials. Forexample, water cooling subsystems may be composed of polyvinyl chloride(PVC) pipes and/or joints and one or more adhesives for fastening thepipes in a water-tight manner. Where appropriate, one or more materialsof the water cooling subsystems may be rigid. In some aspects, one ormore materials of the water cooling subsystems may be flexible (e.g.,one or more rubber tubes or hoses). However, these examples of materialsare not limiting and the materials of the water cooling subsystems maybe any material, or combination of materials, having the structural andchemical properties necessary to function in the disclosed systems asdescribed herein.

The water cooling subsystem, in various instances, includes a pump. Insome embodiments, a pump is a means for causing water to move throughwater cooling subsystems and/or other components (e.g., water intakes;water discharges and/or desalination plants), as described herein. Insome variations, a pump causes water to move unidirectionally orbidirectionally through water cooling subsystems and/or other components(e.g., water intakes; water discharges and/or desalination plants), asdescribed herein. In some instances, a pump is electrically poweredand/or fossil fuel powered and/or powered by another means. In someaspects, a pump is operably connected to a power source (i.e., the powersource of the data center), as described herein. In some aspects, a pumpmay be operably connected to a power plant. In particular versions,tides, and/or a pump powered by tides, cause water to move through thewater cooling subsystems and/or other components (i.e., desalinationplants) described herein. In some embodiments, one or more pumps arelocated within data centers and/or desalination plants, as describedherein. In some embodiments, one or more pumps are located outside datacenters and/or desalination plants, as described herein.

In particular aspects, water cooling subsystems include one or morevalves within the subsystems for controlling the movement of waterthrough the system. In some embodiments, the valves are controllable(e.g., configured to be opened and/or closed in reaction to a designatedsignal or action). Where desired, each valve is individuallycontrollable (e.g., a valve may be opened and or closed while othervalves are not). In some embodiments, the one or more valves includeelectrical components and may be configured to receive an electronicsignal from a controller operably connected thereto.

Water Desalination Plant

The disclosed systems, in some instances, include one or moredesalination plants. As used herein, the term “desalination plant”refers to a facility configured and/or used for desalinating water. Insome embodiments, desalination plants house components for desalinatingwater.

In some variations, desalination plants operate by distillation (e.g.,vacuum distillation). Desalination plants may be configured to boilwater (e.g., salt water) and collect water (e.g., water vapor) having asignificantly reduced or eliminated salt concentration. Desalinationplants, in some instances, boil water at less than atmospheric pressure.In some versions, desalination plants operate by multistage flashdistillation. As such, desalination plants may be configured to operateby one or more processes that distill water (e.g., seawater) by flashingan amount of water into steam in multiple stages of concurrent heatexchangers. In some instances, desalination plants using distillation(e.g., vacuum distillation) employ heated water (e.g., warm water) inone or more processes. Desalination plants may be configured todesalinate water by using both distillation and reverse osmosisprocesses.

In some embodiments, desalination plants of the disclosed systems arereverse osmosis desalination plants. In some aspects, reverse osmosisdesalination plants use pressure and/or one or more semipermeablemembranes to desalinate water. In some versions of reverse osmosisdesalination plants, water is passed through one or more semipermeablemembranes in order to remove salt and/or minerals and/or otherimpurities therefrom. In some instances, the efficiency of adesalination process of a reverse osmosis desalination plant is higherif the temperature of the water input (e.g., saltwater) into thedesalination process is higher. In various embodiments, a desalinationprocess of a reverse osmosis desalination plant uses less energy pervolume of water desalinated if the temperature of the water input (e.g.,saltwater) into the desalination process is higher.

By desalinating water, in some aspects, desalination plants may producedesalinated water and/or brine (e.g., both desalinated water and brine).As used herein, the term “brine” refers to a solution discharged from adesalination plant. In some aspects, brine may be a solution (e.g., aconcentrate) including salt (e.g., sodium chloride) and water. In someversions, brine has a salt concentration in the range 3.5% to 26%. Insome embodiments, brine includes one or more of the impurities removedfrom water during desalination (e.g., minerals or other components). Insome instances, brine may include residues of chemicals used to treat(e.g., clean) a desalination plant.

Embodiments of desalination plants include at least one filterconfigured for purifying water. In some aspects, the at least one filterof the water intakes includes one or more semipermeable membranes.

In some instances, desalination plants are configured such that anamount of water may move through the plants. In some embodiments,desalination plants are configured such that an amount of water may movethrough the plants by traveling through an interconnected desalinationstructure of operably connected pipes and/or containers. Theinterconnected desalination structure of operably connected pipes and/orcontainers, in some variations, is composed of the same and/or differentmaterials or types of materials as the water cooling subsystems and/orwater intakes described above. In particular embodiments, theinterconnected desalination structure of operably connected pipes and/orcontainers of a desalination plant is connected to and/or includes acoupling component for receiving water from a water source and/or awater discharge for discharging water from the desalination plant.

In some versions, desalination plants include one or more valves forcontrolling the movement of water through the desalination plant (e.g.,through an interconnected desalination structure of operably connectedpipes and/or containers within a desalination plant). In someembodiments, the valves are controllable (e.g., configured to be openedand/or closed in reaction to a designated signal or action). In someaspects each valve is individually controllable (e.g., a valve may beopened and or closed while other valves are not). In some instances, theone or more valves include electrical components and may be configuredto receive an electronic signal from a controller operably connectedthereto.

In various aspects, a desalination plant is configured such that watercan move (i.e., flow) into the plant from a water source (e.g., a watercooling subsystem). In some embodiments, the water source of a waterdesalination plant is the water cooling subsystem of a data center(e.g., a co-located data center). As such, where desired, waterdesalination plants may be configured to receive warm water from watercooling subsystems or a portion thereof (e.g., a warm water discharge oroutput) and/or another source (e.g., a power plant). In someembodiments, water desalination plants are configured such that warmwater received into a desalination plant is used in one or more waterdesalination processes therein.

In some versions, desalination plants include one or more couplingcomponents. Coupling components may be configured for connecting to andreceiving water from a water cooling subsystem. In some aspects, one ormore coupling components are positioned within a desalination plantand/or within a data center and/or between a desalination plant and adata center (e.g., at the interface of a desalination and data center).In some instances, the one or one or more coupling components are a pipeor a series of pipes for providing fluid communication between thedesalination plant and data center. In some embodiments, the one or morecoupling components are operably connected (e.g., attached in awater-tight manner) to a warm water discharge or output of a datacenter. The one or more coupling components may be operably connected toa water intake (e.g., a cool water intake), as described herein. Assuch, water (e.g., cool water) may be added to the warm water passingout of the water cooling subsystem of a data center before it enters adesalination plant. The one or more coupling components may be operablyconnected to a water discharge (e.g., a warm water discharge), asdescribed herein. As such, all or a portion of the water channeled toflow through the coupling component may be channeled to flow into awater source and all or a portion of the water channeled to flow throughthe coupling component may be channeled to flow into the waterdesalination plant. The one or more coupling components may also beoperably connected to one or more other coupling components.

In some embodiments, coupling components are configured to have anamount of water (e.g., seawater) move (e.g., flow) through them per timeperiod (e.g., minute or hour or day). For example, coupling componentsmay be configured to have up to the following amounts of water move(e.g., flow) through them: 5,000 L/day; 10,000 L/day; 15,000 L/day;20,000 L/day; 25,000 L/day; 30,000 L/day; 35,000 L/day; 40,000 L/day;45,000 L/day; 50,000 L/day; 55,000 L/day; 60,000 L/day; 65,000 L/day;70,000 L/day; 75,000 L/day; 80,000 L/day; 85,000 L/day; 90,000 L/day;95,000 L/day; 100,000 L/day; 150,000 L/day; 200,000 L/day; 250,000L/day; 300,000 L/day; 350,000 L/day; 400,000 L/day; 450,000 L/day;500,000 L/day; 550,000 L/day; 600,000 L/day; 650,000 L/day; 700,000L/day; 750,000 L/day; 800,000 L/day; 850,000 L/day; 900,000 L/day;950,000 L/day; 1 million L/day; 5 million L/day; 10 million L/day; 20million L/day; 30 million L/day; 40 million L/day; 50 million L/day; 60million L/day; 70 million L/day; 80 million L/day; 90 million L/day; 100million L/day; 110 million L/day; 120 million L/day; 130 million L/day;140 million L/day; 150 million L/day; 160 million L/day; 170 millionL/day; 180 million L/day; 190 million L/day; 200 million L/day; 220million L/day; 240 million L/day; 260 million L/day; 280 million L/day;300 million L/day; 400 million L/day; 500 million L/day; or 1 billionL/day. Coupling components may also be configured to have more than 1billion L/day of water move (e.g., flow) through them. Couplingcomponents, in particular embodiments, may be configured to have anamount of water move through them wherein the amount is in any of theranges: 5,000 L/day to 1 billion L/day; 5,000 L/day to 1 million L/day;5,000 L/day to 100 million L/day; 5,000 L/day to 20,000 L/day; 20,000L/day to 40,000 L/day; 40,000 L/day to 60,000 L/day; 60,000 L/day to80,000 L/day; 80,000 L/day to 100,000 L/day; 100,000 L/day to 120,000L/day; 120,000 L/day to 140,000 L/day; 140,000 L/day to 160,000 L/day;160,000 L/day to 180,000 L/day; 180,000 L/day to 200,000 L/day; 200,000L/day to 250,000 L/day; 250,000 L/day to 300,000 L/day; 3000,000 L/dayto 350,000 L/day; 100,000 L/day to 200,000 L/day; 200,000 L/day to300,000 L/day; 300,000 L/day to 400,000 L/day; 400,000 L/day to 500,000L/day; 500,000 L/day to 600,000 L/day; 600,000 L/day to 700,000 L/day;700,000 L/day to 800,000 L/day; 800,000 L/day to 900,000 L/day; 900,000L/day to 1 million L/day; 1 million L/day to 20 million L/day; 20million L/day to 40 million L/day; 40 million L/day to 60 million L/day;60 million L/day to 80 million L/day; or 80 million L/day to 100 millionL/day. In some aspects, the amount of water moving (e.g., flowing)through a coupling component is variable within a time period (e.g., oneminute, one hour, one day, one month, one year).

A desalination plant, in some embodiments, is configured such that brinemoves (i.e., flows) out of the desalination plant through a waterdischarge. In some instances, desalination plants are operably connectedto (e.g., in fluid communication with) water discharges, as describedherein.

A desalination plant, in various aspects, is configured such thatdesalinated (e.g., water having a low salt concentration) moves out ofthe desalination plant through a water expulsion aspect. The waterexpulsion aspect may be one or more pipes. The water expulsion aspectmay also be configured to transport the desalinated water to a locationwhere the desalinated water may be used and/or stored. The waterexpulsion aspect may, in some aspects, also be configured to transportthe desalinated water to a location from which the desalinated water canbe further transported.

Desalination plants, in some versions, include a pump. In someembodiments, a pump is a means for causing water to move throughdesalination plants and/or other components (e.g., data centers; watercooling subsystems; water intakes; and/or water discharges), asdescribed herein. In particular instances, a pump causes water to moveunidirectionally or bidirectionally through desalination plants and/orother components, as described herein. In some embodiments, a pump iselectrically powered and/or gasoline powered and/or powered by anothermeans. In some aspects, a pump is operably connected to a power source(i.e., the power source of the data center), as described herein. Insome instances, a pump may be operably connected to a power plant. Inparticular embodiments, tides, and/or a pump powered by tides, causewater to move through the desalination plants and/or other components(i.e., data centers) described herein. In some embodiments, one or morepumps are located within data centers and/or desalination plants, asdescribed herein. In some versions, one or more pumps are locatedoutside data centers and/or desalination plants, as described herein.

Where desired, desalination plants include electrical components. Forexample, desalination plants may include temperature and/or lightingcontrol systems as well as electrical systems for desalinating water. Insome aspects, desalination plants (e.g., desalination plants operatingindependently) use an amount of energy (e.g., electrical energy) foreach volume of water desalinated.

Where desired, desalination plants may be operably connected to at leastone power source (e.g., one or more power plants and/or the power sourceof a data center, as described herein). Some embodiments of desalinationplants include a power source (e.g., a source from which electricalpower may be obtained). Power sources, where appropriate, and asdescribed above, generate or obtain power from renewable energy sources.In some aspects, desalination plants may be operably connected (e.g.,electrically connected) to a data center or one or more of thecomponents thereof.

In some versions, desalination plants and/or power sources ofdesalination plants produce carbon emissions. In some aspects,desalination plants (e.g., desalination plants operating independently)produce an amount of carbon emissions for each function or portion of afunction performed by the desalination plant or components thereof. Forexample, in some embodiments, desalination plants produce a certainamount of carbon emissions per volume of desalinated water produced.

The disclosed systems, in some instances, include one or moredesalination plants co-located with one or more data centers. As notedabove, some embodiments of the disclosed systems include desalinationplants that are configured to receive and desalinate warm water outputfrom a data center (e.g., a co-located data center). Some variations ofthe disclosed systems that include desalination plants configured toreceive and desalinate warm water output from a data center are therebyconfigured to produce fewer carbon emissions as compared to the samedata center and water desalination plant operating independently (e.g.,a data center and water desalination plant not connected in a mannersuch that water or electricity may travel from one to the other). Also,in some instances, the disclosed systems include desalination plantsthat are configured to receive and desalinate warm water output from adata center and are thereby configured to use less energy (e.g.,electrical energy) as compared to the same data center and waterdesalination plant operating independently (e.g., a data center andwater desalination plant not connected in a manner such that water orelectricity may travel from one to the other).

Water Discharge

In some embodiments, the disclosed systems include a water discharge. Invarious aspects, the water discharge is configured for discharging brinefrom the disclosed systems. Where appropriate, the water dischargeincludes one or more openings (e.g., holes, gaps and/or slits) in theportions of the system configured for transporting water and/or brine.For example, the water discharge may be one or more pipes having atleast one opening (e.g., an open end) positioned within a body of watersuch that water and/or brine may flow out of the one or more pipes. Insome variations, a water discharge or an opening therein is shaped as acircle, rectangle, square, slit, polygon, quadrilateral, oval,semi-circle, or other shape. Where desired, a water discharge or anopening therein may have a single defined radius of symmetry. In someaspects, a water discharge or an opening therein may radii of curvaturelying within a single plane (e.g., a vertical plane or a horizontalplane).

In some embodiments, water discharges (e.g., one or more openings inwater discharges) are configured to discharge or otherwise have anamount of water (e.g., seawater) move through them in a set time period(e.g., a minute or hour or day). For example, water discharges may beconfigured to discharge up to: 5,000 L/day; 10,000 L/day; 15,000 L/day;20,000 L/day; 25,000 L/day; 30,000 L/day; 35,000 L/day; 40,000 L/day;45,000 L/day; 50,000 L/day; 55,000 L/day; 60,000 L/day; 65,000 L/day;70,000 L/day; 75,000 L/day; 80,000 L/day; 85,000 L/day; 90,000 L/day;95,000 L/day; 100,000 L/day; 150,000 L/day; 200,000 L/day; 250,000L/day; 300,000 L/day; 350,000 L/day; 400,000 L/day; 450,000 L/day;500,000 L/day; 550,000 L/day; 600,000 L/day; 650,000 L/day; 700,000L/day; 750,000 L/day; 800,000 L/day; 850,000 L/day; 900,000 L/day;950,000 L/day; 1 million L/day; 5 million L/day; 10 million L/day; 20million L/day; 30 million L/day; 40 million L/day; 50 million L/day; 60million L/day; 70 million L/day; 80 million L/day; 90 million L/day; 100million L/day; 110 million L/day; 120 million L/day; 130 million L/day;140 million L/day; 150 million L/day; 160 million L/day; 170 millionL/day; 180 million L/day; 190 million L/day; 200 million L/day; 220million L/day; 240 million L/day; 260 million L/day; 280 million L/day;300 million L/day; 400 million L/day; 500 million L/day; or 1 billionL/day. Water discharges may also be configured to discharge more than 1billion L/day. Water discharges, in particular embodiments, may beconfigured to discharge an amount of water in any of the ranges: 5,000L/day to 1 billion L/day; 5,000 L/day to 1 million L/day; 5,000 L/day to100 million L/day; 5,000 L/day to 20,000 L/day; 20,000 L/day to 40,000L/day; 40,000 L/day to 60,000 L/day; 60,000 L/day to 80,000 L/day;80,000 L/day to 100,000 L/day; 100,000 L/day to 120,000 L/day; 120,000L/day to 140,000 L/day; 140,000 L/day to 160,000 L/day; 160,000 L/day to180,000 L/day; 180,000 L/day to 200,000 L/day; 200,000 L/day to 250,000L/day; 250,000 L/day to 300,000 L/day; 3000,000 L/day to 350,000 L/day;100,000 L/day to 200,000 L/day; 200,000 L/day to 300,000 L/day; 300,000L/day to 400,000 L/day; 400,000 L/day to 500,000 L/day; 500,000 L/day to600,000 L/day; 600,000 L/day to 700,000 L/day; 700,000 L/day to 800,000L/day; 800,000 L/day to 900,000 L/day; 900,000 L/day to 1 million L/day;1 million L/day to 20 million L/day; 20 million L/day to 40 millionL/day; 40 million L/day to 60 million L/day; 60 million L/day to 80million L/day; or 80 million L/day to 100 million L/day. In someaspects, the amount of water moving (e.g., flowing) through a dischargeis variable within a time period (e.g., one minute, one hour, one day,one month, one year).

In various aspects, the water discharge or a portion thereof ispositioned outside the desalination plant. In some versions, the waterdischarge or a portion thereof is positioned outside the portion of thedata center containing the one or more computer systems and/orassociated components and/or outside the desalination plant. In someembodiments, the water discharge is operably connected to (e.g., influid communication with) at least one portion of the desalination plantand/or at least one portion of the water cooling subsystem locatedinside the portion of the data center containing the one or morecomputer systems and/or associated components wherein cool water isheated (e.g., heated to warm water).

Embodiments of the systems include a water discharge positioned within awater source (e.g., positioned at a depth of 15 m or more in a watersource). Some variations of the systems include a water discharge and/orat least one opening therein (e.g., an opening at the end of thedischarge furthest from the desalination plant and/or portion of thedata center housing computer systems and related components) positionedat a depth of 1 m or more; 2 m or more; 3 m or more; 4 m or more; 5 m ormore; 6 m or more; 7 m or more; 8 m or more; 9 m or more; 10 m or more;11 m or more; 12 m or more; 13 m or more; 14 m or more; 16 m or more; 17m or more; 18 m or more; 19 m or more; 20 m or more; 25 m or more; 30 mor more; 35 m or more; 40 m or more; 45 m or more; 50 m or more; 60 m ormore; 70 m or more; 80 m or more; 90 m or more; 100 m; 200 m or moreand/or 300 m or more in a water source. In some aspects, systems includea water discharge and/or at least one opening therein positioned belowand/or within a particular zone (e.g., euphotic and/or disphotic, and/oraphotic zone) in a water source. Systems, in some embodiments, include awater discharge and/or at least one opening therein positioned below thephotic zone in a water source.

In some variations of the disclosed systems wherein a water discharge ispositioned at a particular depth within a water source (e.g., a depth of15 m or more), its center (e.g., the center-most point of a waterdischarge) and/or the top edge (e.g., the edge or portion closest to thesurface of the water) of the water discharge and/or the bottom edge(e.g., the edge or portion furthest from the surface of the water) ofthe water discharge is positioned at that particular depth below thesurface of the water. In some aspects, a water discharge positioned at aparticular depth within a water source may have an opening wherein thecenter of the opening (e.g., the center-most point of a circular and/orsquare opening) and/or the top edge (e.g., the edge or portion closestto the surface of the water) of the opening and/or the bottom edge(e.g., the edge or portion furthest from the surface of the water) ofthe opening is positioned at that particular depth below the surface ofthe water.

The water discharges of the disclosed systems may, in variousembodiments, be composed of one or more materials or one or more typesof materials. Examples of materials that the water discharges of thedisclosed systems may be composed of include polymers, ceramics, metals,glasses and/or a combination thereof. In some aspects, the waterdischarges are not composed of metal or material that is subject tocorrosion (e.g., corrosion by rust). Where appropriate, water dischargesare composed of plumbing materials. For example, water discharges may becomposed of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes and/or joints and one or moreadhesives for fastening the pipes in a water-tight manner. In someaspects, one or more materials of the water discharges may be rigid. Insome instances, one or more materials of the water discharges may beflexible (e.g., one or more rubber tubes or hoses). However, theseexamples of materials are not limiting and the materials of the waterdischarges may be any material, or combination of materials, having thestructural and chemical properties necessary to function in thedisclosed systems as described herein.

Power Plant

In some aspects, the disclosed systems include one or more power plants.As used herein, the terms “power plant” and “power station”, refer to afacility for the generation of electric power. In particular aspects,power plants house components for generating and transmitting electricpower.

Power plants, in some embodiments, generate electrical power from fossilfuels (e.g., coal, oil, and/or natural gas), nuclear power or renewableenergy sources. In some aspects, power plants provide electric power toconsumers of electric power outside the power plant.

In various instances, power plants include an intake for receivingmaterials and/or energy into the power plant. In some aspects, powerplants include at least one conversion element for converting thematerials and/or energy received into the intake to electric power. Insome instances, power plants include an electrical yield componentconfigured for providing an output of electrical power from the plant.In various embodiments, power plants include one or more control systemsconfigured for controlling the amount of materials and/or energyreceived into an intake and/or for controlling the amount of materialsand/or energy converted to electric power and/or for controlling theamount of electric power output through the electrical yield component.

Power plants, in particular versions, produce carbon emissions. In someinstances, power plants (e.g., power plants operating to produceelectric power independently) produce an amount of carbon emissions foreach function or portion of a function performed by the power plant orcomponents thereof. For example, in some embodiments, power plantsproduce a certain amount of carbon emissions per amount of electricalpower produced.

In some embodiments, power plants include electrical components. Forexample, power plants may include temperature and/or lighting controlsystems as well as electrical components for electrically connectingconsumers of electrical power to the power plant. In some instances,power plants (e.g., power plants operating independently) use an amountof energy (e.g., electrical energy) for each amount of electrical powerproduced.

Power plants may produce heat. As such, in some embodiments, powerplants include a cooling system. In some instances, cooling systems ofpower plants are configured to cool power plants using cool water (e.g.,seawater). In some embodiments, power plant cooling systems include aninterconnected structure of pipes and/or containers and/or pumps (e.g.,pumps as described above) configured for moving water through (e.g., into and/or out of) the interconnected structure and thereby cooling thepower plant. In some versions, power plants produce and output warmwater. In some aspects, power plant cooling systems are operablyconnected to water discharges (e.g., warm water discharges), asdescribed herein.

In some embodiments, power plants are co-located with data centersand/or desalination plants. Power plants, in some aspects, are operablyconnected to a data center and/or a water desalination plant. In someaspects, power plants may be in fluid communication with a data centerand/or a water desalination plant. Where desired, power plant coolingsystems may be attached to a coupling component (e.g., a pipe section)of a water desalination plant such that water (e.g., warm water) maymove (e.g., flow) from the power plant to the desalination plant. Insome aspects, one or more coupling components are positioned within adesalination plant and/or within a power plant and/or between adesalination plant and a power plant (e.g., at the interface of adesalination and power plant). In some versions, power plant coolingsystems may be attached to a water cooling subsystem of a data centersuch that water may move (e.g., flow) from a power plant to a datacenter and/or from a data center to a power plant.

Various embodiments of power plants provide electrical power to datacenters (e.g. data centers co-located with power plants and/ordesalination plants) and/or desalination plants (e.g., desalinationplants co-located with power plants and/or data centers). As such, someversions of the disclosed systems include power plants that areelectrically connected (e.g., connected by at least one conductivematerial, such as a metal cable) to a data center and/or a waterdesalination plant. In some aspects, power plants may provide all or aportion of the electrical power required to operate a data center and/orthe electrical components therein. Similarly, in some instances, powerplants may provide all or a portion of the electrical power required tooperate a desalination plant and/or the electrical components therein.

Some embodiments of the disclosed systems that include a power plantco-located with a data center and/or a desalination plant are configuredto produce fewer carbon emissions as compared to the same power plant,data center and water desalination plant operating independently (e.g.,a power plant, data center and water desalination plant not connected ina manner such that water and/or electricity may travel from one to theother). Also, some variations of the disclosed systems that include apower plant co-located with a data center and/or a desalination plantare configured to use less energy (e.g., electrical energy) as comparedto the same power plant, data center and water desalination plantoperating independently (e.g., a power plant, data center and waterdesalination plant not connected in a manner such that water and/orelectricity may travel from one to the other). As such, some versions ofthe disclosed systems that include a power plant co-located with a datacenter and/or a desalination plant are configured to be moreenergy-efficient than the same power plant, data center and waterdesalination plant operating independently

Methods

As summarized above, aspects of the present disclosure also includemethods for cooling a data center and desalinating salt water. In someembodiments, the methods have steps (e.g., sequential steps and/orsimultaneous steps) including (1) cooling a data center with a watercooling subsystem comprising a cool water intake and a warm waterdischarge, wherein the water cooling subsystem is configured to absorbheat produced by the data center; and (2) desalinating warm waterreceived from the warm water discharge at a desalination plant that isco-located with the data center.

The word “cooling” is used broadly and generically to refer to loweringthe temperature of an aspect (e.g., a data center or a portion of one ormore components therein) or a portion of an aspect (e.g., a portion of adata center that is heated by one or more components of the datacenter). As such, in some embodiments, cooling a data center with awater cooling subsystem having a cool water intake and a warm waterdischarge includes lowering the temperature of at least a portion of thedata center or one or more components of the data center using the watercooling subsystem.

As used herein, the phrase “cool water intake” refers to a water intakeconfigured to receive cool water. In some embodiments, cooling a datacenter with a water cooling subsystem includes moving (e.g.,intermittently or continually pumping) water (e.g., cool water) throughat least a portion of the water cooling subsystem and/or absorbing heatproduced by the data center using the water cooling subsystem and/orwater pumped through the subsystem. In some instances, cooling a datacenter with a water cooling subsystem includes moving (e.g., pumping)water (e.g., warm water) through at least a portion of the water coolingsubsystem after the water cooling subsystem and/or water therein hasabsorbed heat produced by the data center. In various embodiments,cooling a data center with a water cooling subsystem includes moving(e.g., pumping) water (e.g., warm water) out of the water coolingsubsystem (e.g., pumping water through a warm water discharge of a watercooling subsystem). In some variations, cooling a data center with awater cooling subsystem includes moving (e.g., pumping) water (e.g.,warm water) into a desalination plant.

The word “desalinating” is used broadly and generically to refer toconducting one or more processes (e.g., reverse osmosis) to desalinatewater. As such, in some embodiments, desalinating water includesreceiving water (e.g., warm water) from a warm water discharge of a datacenter into a desalination plant (e.g., a desalination plant co-locatedwith the data center) and conducting one or more desalination processesto desalinate that water. In some embodiments of the disclosed methods,cooling a data center and desalinating salt water includes co-locatingand/or operably connecting a data center and a desalination plant.

In particular aspects of the methods, desalinating water includesreceiving water (e.g., warm water) from a warm water discharge of a datacenter into a desalination plant (e.g., a desalination plant co-locatedwith the data center) and conducting one or more desalination processesto desalinate the water. In some instances, desalinating water includesmoving (e.g., intermittently or continually pumping) water (e.g., warmwater) through one or more components of a desalination plant andthereby desalinating the water.

In some versions of the disclosed methods, cooling a data center anddesalinating salt water includes obtaining (e.g., intermittently orconstantly pumping) water (e.g., seawater) from a cool water intake.Particular variations of the disclosed methods include positioning acool water intake, or at least one opening therein, at a particulardepth within a water source (e.g., below the photic zone of a watersource). In some aspects of the disclosed methods, a water source is anocean or sea.

In some aspects of the disclosed methods, cooling a data center anddesalinating salt water includes discharging (e.g., intermittently orconstantly pumping) brine from a desalination plant into a body of water(e.g., an ocean or sea). Particular versions of the disclosed methodsinclude discharging brine at a particular depth within a body of water(e.g., within or below the photic zone of an ocean or sea).

Embodiments of the disclosed methods include positioning a cool waterintake or at least one opening therein and/or discharging brine at adepth of 15 m or more in a water source. Some variations of the methodsinclude positioning a cool water intake or at least one opening thereinand/or discharging brine at a depth of 1 m or more; 2 m or more; 3 m ormore; 4 m or more; 5 m or more; 6 m or more; 7 m or more; 8 m or more; 9m or more; 10 m or more; 11 m or more; 12 m or more; 13 m or more; 14 mor more; 16 m or more; 17 m or more; 18 m or more; 19 m or more; 20 m ormore; 25 m or more; 30 m or more; 35 m or more; 40 m or more; 45 m ormore; 50 m or more; 60 m or more; 70 m or more; 80 m or more; 90 m ormore; 100 m or more; 200 m or more; and/or 300 m or more in a body ofwater (e.g., an ocean or sea). In some instances, the disclosed methodsinclude positioning a cool water intake or at least one opening thereinand/or discharging brine below and/or within a particular zone (e.g.,euphotic and/or disphotic, and/or aphotic and/or benthic zone) in a bodyof water (e.g., an ocean or sea).

In some variations of the methods, positioning a cool water intake, orat least one opening therein and/or discharging brine, at a particulardepth within a water source (e.g., a depth of 15 m or more), includespositioning the center of the intake (e.g., the center-most point of awater intake) and/or the center of a water discharge (e.g., thecenter-most point of a warm water discharge) and/or the top edge (e.g.,the edge or portion closest to the surface of the water) of the waterintake and/or water discharge and/or the bottom edge (e.g., the edge orportion furthest from the surface of the water) of the water intakeand/or water discharge at that particular depth below the surface of thewater. Where desired, a water intake and/or water discharge positionedat a particular depth within a water source may have an opening whereinthe center of the opening (e.g., the center-most point of a circularand/or square opening) and/or the top edge (e.g., the edge or portionclosest to the surface of the water) of the opening and/or the bottomedge (e.g., the edge or portion closest to the surface of the water) ofthe opening is positioned at that particular depth below the surface ofthe water.

The desalination plant, in some aspects of the methods, is a reverseosmosis desalination plant. As such, in some instances, water isdesalinated using one or more reverse osmosis processes. In someembodiments, water (e.g., warm water) is desalinated by passing thewater through one or more semipermeable membranes in order to removesalt and/or minerals and/or other impurities therefrom.

As noted above, in some embodiments, data centers, desalination plantsand/or their power sources produce carbon emissions. In some aspects,data centers and/or desalination plants (e.g., desalination plantsoperating independently) produce an amount of carbon emissions for eachfunction or portion of a function performed by the desalination plant orcomponents thereof. For example, in some variations, desalination plantsproduce a certain amount of carbon emissions per volume of desalinatedwater produced.

Also, as noted above, co-locating and/or operably connecting a datacenter and desalination plant can reduce their overall carbon emissions.As such, in some instances, the disclosed methods of cooling a datacenter and desalinating salt water at a desalination plant co-locatedwith the data center produce fewer carbon emissions as compared tooperating the same data center and water desalination plantindependently (e.g., a data center and water desalination plant notconnected in a manner such that water or electricity may travel from oneto the other). In some variations, the disclosed methods of cooling adata center and desalinating salt water at a desalination plantco-located with the data center include producing a smaller carbonfootprint as compared to the same data center and water desalinationplant operating independently.

As noted above, in particular instances, data centers and/ordesalination plants use an amount of energy for each function performedby the data center and/or desalination plant or components thereof. Forexample, data centers may use a specific amount of energy per amount ofdata center cooling.

Also, as noted above, co-locating and/or operably connecting a datacenter and desalination plant can improve their overall energyefficiency. As such, the disclosed methods of cooling a data center anddesalinating salt water at a desalination plant co-located with the datacenter may use less energy per amount of data-center cooling and pervolume of water desalinated as compared to the same data center andwater desalination plant operating independently (e.g., a data centerand water desalination plant not connected in a manner such that wateror electricity may travel from one to the other). In some versions, thedisclosed methods of cooling a data center and desalinating salt waterat a desalination plant co-located with the data center include coolinga data center and desalinating water in a more energy-efficient manneras compared to operating the same data center and water desalinationplant independently.

In particular embodiments, the disclosed methods of cooling a datacenter and desalinating salt water at a desalination plant co-locatedwith the data center include maintaining the PUE (e.g., the PUE of thedata center) at a particular value, such as 2.0 or less, e.g., 1.9, orless, 1.8 or less, 1.7 or less, 1.6 or less, 1.5 or less, 1.4 or less,1.3 or less, 1.2 or less, 1.1 or less, where the particular value atwhich the data center is maintained may vary, e.g., a PUE of 1.0; 1.1;1.2; 1.3; 1.4; or 1.5. In some instances, the disclosed methods ofcooling a data center and desalinating salt water at a desalinationplant co-located with the data center include maintaining the PUE (e.g.,the PUE of the data center) within a particular range (e.g., below 2;between 0 and 2; or between 1 and 2). For example, in some aspects, thedisclosed methods of cooling a data center and desalinating salt waterat a desalination plant co-located with the data center includemaintaining the PUE (e.g., the PUE of the data center) between 1 and 1.3or at a value greater than 1 but approaching 1 (e.g., 1.1; 1.15; 1.2;1.25; or 1.3).

In some versions, the disclosed methods of cooling a data center anddesalinating salt water at a desalination plant co-located with the datacenter include co-locating and/or operably connecting a data center,desalination plant and power plant. As such, in some embodiments, thedisclosed methods include obtaining power to operate the data center andthe desalination plant from a power plant co-located with the datacenter and the desalination plant.

As noted above, in some instances, data centers, desalination plantsand/or power plants produce carbon emissions. In some aspects, powerplants (e.g., power plants operating to produce electric powerindependently) produce an amount of carbon emissions for each functionor portion of a function performed by the power plant or componentsthereof. For example, power plants may produce a certain amount ofcarbon emissions per amount of electrical power produced.

Also, as noted above, co-locating and/or operably connecting a datacenter, desalination plant and power plant can reduce their overallcarbon emissions. As such, in various instances, the disclosed methodsof cooling a data center and desalinating salt water at a desalinationplant co-located with the data center that include obtaining power tooperate the data center and the desalination plant from a power plantco-located with the data center and the desalination plant produce fewercarbon emissions as compared to operating the same data center, waterdesalination plant and power plant operating independently. In someversions, the disclosed methods of cooling a data center anddesalinating salt water at a desalination plant co-located with the datacenter by obtaining power to operate the data center and thedesalination plant from a power plant co-located with the data centerand the desalination plant include producing a smaller carbon footprintas compared to the independent operation of the same data center, waterdesalination plant and power plant.

As noted above, co-locating and/or operably connecting a data center,desalination plant and power plant can improve their overall energyefficiency. As such, in some instances, the disclosed methods of coolinga data center and desalinating salt water at a desalination plantco-located with the data center that include obtaining power to operatethe data center and the desalination plant from a power plant co-locatedwith the data center and the desalination plant use less energy peramount of data-center cooling or per volume of water desalinated thanthe same data center, water desalination plant and power plant operatingindependently (e.g., operating while not operably connected). In someversions, the disclosed methods of cooling a data center anddesalinating salt water at a desalination plant co-located with the datacenter by obtaining power to operate the data center and thedesalination plant from a power plant co-located with the data centerand the desalination plant include cooling a data center, desalinatingwater and/or producing or obtaining power in a more energy-efficientmanner as compared to operating the same data center, water desalinationplant and power plant independently.

The disclosed methods of cooling a data center and desalinating saltwater at a desalination plant co-located with the data center byobtaining power to operate the data center and the desalination plantfrom a power plant co-located with the data center and the desalinationplant, in various embodiments, include maintaining a PUE (e.g., the PUEof the data center) at a particular value (e.g., any PUE value listedherein, or another PUE value) or within a range of particular values(e.g., any range of PUE values listed herein, or another range of PUEvalues).

Utility

The subject systems and methods may be used to cool data centers anddesalinate water. As described herein, in some aspects, the disclosedsystems may be configured to operate in a way that is more effectivethan operating components of the systems independently. For example, adata center co-located with and operably connected to a desalinationplant may allow the data center and/or desalination plant to use lessenergy per amount of data-center cooling and/or per volume of waterdesalinated as compared to the same data center and water desalinationplant operating independently. Similarly, the methods disclosed hereinmay allow the operation of a data center and/or desalination plant touse less energy per amount of data-center cooling and/or per volume ofwater desalinated as compared to methods of operating the same datacenter and water desalination plant independently. Furthermore, thedisclosed systems and methods relating to a data center co-located withand operably connected to a desalination plant and a power plant mayallow the data center and/or desalination plant and/or power plant touse less energy per amount of data-center cooling and/or per volume ofwater desalinated and/or per amount of energy produced as compared tothe same data center, water desalination plant and power plant operatingindependently.

The disclosed systems and methods may also operate in such a way as tominimize the impact of data centers, desalination plants and/or powerplants on the surrounding environment. For example, operation of thedisclosed systems or utilization of the disclosed methods may result ina data center and water desalination plant that produce fewer carbonemissions or less thermal pollution as compared to the same data centerand water desalination plant operating independently. Also, operation ofthe disclosed systems or utilization of the disclosed methods may resultin a data center, water desalination plant and power plant that producefewer carbon emissions or less thermal pollution as compared to the samedata center, water desalination plant and power plant operatingindependently.

Accordingly, the subject systems and methods may be applied to minimizethe amount of energy used by data centers, desalination plants and/orpower plants. The subject systems and methods may also be applied tominimize the amount of carbon emissions from data centers, desalinationplants and/or power plants. By enhancing efficiency of operation andminimizing carbon emissions, the disclosed systems and methods areuseful to minimize costs associated with data centers, desalinationplants and/or power plants and to promote the quality of the surroundingenvironments.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail byway of illustration and example for purposes of clarity ofunderstanding, it is readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in theart in light of the teachings of this invention that certain changes andmodifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit orscope of the appended claims. It is also to be understood that theterminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting, since the scope ofthe present invention will be limited only by the appended claims.

Accordingly, the preceding merely illustrates the principles of theinvention. It will be appreciated that those skilled in the art will beable to devise various arrangements which, although not explicitlydescribed or shown herein, embody the principles of the invention andare included within its spirit and scope. Furthermore, all examples andconditional language recited herein are principally intended to aid thereader in understanding the principles of the invention and the conceptscontributed by the inventors to furthering the art, and are to beconstrued as being without limitation to such specifically recitedexamples and conditions. Moreover, all statements herein recitingprinciples, aspects, and embodiments of the invention as well asspecific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural andfunctional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that suchequivalents include both currently known equivalents and equivalentsdeveloped in the future, i.e., any elements developed that perform thesame function, regardless of structure. The scope of the presentinvention, therefore, is not intended to be limited to the exemplaryembodiments shown and described herein. Rather, the scope and spirit ofpresent invention is embodied by the appended claims.

1-17. (canceled)
 18. A method of cooling a data center, the methodcomprising: (a) cooling a data center with a water cooling subsystemcomprising a cool water intake and a warm water discharge; and (b)desalinating warm water received from the warm water discharge at adesalination plant that is co-located with the data center.
 19. Themethod according to claim 18, wherein the water cooling subsystem isconfigured to obtain seawater from the cool water intake.
 20. The methodaccording to claim 18, wherein the desalination plant is a reverseosmosis desalination plant.
 21. The method according to claim 18,wherein the cool water intake is positioned below the photic zone of awater source.
 22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the watersource is an ocean or sea.
 23. The method according to claim 22, whereinthe method further comprises discharging brine from the desalinationplant into the ocean or sea.
 24. The method according to claim 23,wherein the brine is discharged below the photic zone of the ocean orsea.
 25. The method according to claim 18, wherein the method producesfewer carbon emissions as compared to the same data center and waterdesalination plant operating independently.
 26. The method according toclaim 18, wherein the method uses less energy per amount of data-centercooling and per volume of water desalinated as compared to the same datacenter and water desalination plant operating independently.
 27. Themethod according to claim 18, further comprising obtaining power tooperate the data center and the desalination plant from a power plantco-located with the data center and the desalination plant.
 28. Themethod according to claim 27, wherein the method produces fewer carbonemissions than the same data center, water desalination plant and powerplant operating independently.
 29. The method according to claim 27,wherein the method uses less energy per amount of data-center cooling orper volume of water desalinated than the same data center, waterdesalination plant and power plant operating independently.
 30. Themethod according to claim 18, wherein the method comprises maintainingthe power usage effectiveness of the data center at 2 or less.
 31. Themethod according to claim 30, wherein the method comprises maintainingthe power usage effectiveness of the data center at a value ranging from1 to 1.3.